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matt_zimmerAlso reviews for the latest episodes of Teen Titans Go!, DC Super Hero Girls, The Flash, Arrow, DC's Legends Of Tomorrow, Supergirl, Lucifer, iZombie, Be Cool Scooby Doo!, Bunnicula, Marvel's Agent Carter, Star Wars Rebels, The Muppets, The Lion Guard, Mickey Mouse, Girl Meets World, The X-Files, Power Rangers: Dino Super Charge, Sleepy Hollow, Grimm, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The Shannara Chronicles, American Dad!, Colony, You Me And The Apocalypse, and The Blacklist and the first 2 episodes of Blindspot.
Upcoming reviews include Avengers: Age Of Ultron (Blu-Ray), Marvel's Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Season 2, Marvel's Agent Carter: Season 1, Ant-Man (Blu-Ray), The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (Blu-Ray), X-Men: Days Of Future Past: The Rogue Cut, The Lion Guard: Revenge Of The Roar (DVD), Inside Out (Blu-Ray), The Good Dinosaur (Blu-Ray), Star Wars Rebels: Season 1, Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League: Attack Of The Legion Of Doom, Batman Unlimited: Monster Mayhem, Teen Titans Go!: House Pests, Batman: Bad Blood, Arrow: Season 3, The Flash: Season 1, Gotham: Season 1, iZombie: Season 1, Be Cool Scooby Doo!: Spooky Kooky Fun!, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey: Extended Edition, The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug: Extended Edition, The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies: Extended Edition, Airplane! / Airplane II: The Sequel: Double Feature, Power Rangers: Zeo: Volume 1, Power Rangers: Zeo: Volume 2, Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie, Power Rangers Turbo: Volume 1, Power Rangers: Turbo: Volume 2, Power Rangers In Space Volume 1, Power Rangers In Space: Volume 2, Power Rangers Samurai: The Complete Season, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Revenge!, Avatar: The Last Airbender: Book 1: Water, Avatar: The Last Airbender: Book 2: Earth, Avatar: The Last Airbender: Book 3: Fire, Haven: Season 5 - Vol. 1, Under The Dome: Season 3, Sleepy Hollow: Season 2, Doctor Who: Dark Water / Death In Heaven, Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Season 2, The Jurassic Park Trilogy, Jurassic World, Back To The Future: The Complete Animated Series, Tremor 5: Bloodlines, Shaun The Sheep Movie (Blu-Ray), 12 Monkeys: Season 1, Grimm: Season 4, The Wonder Years: Season 4, and Mulholland Dr..
Teen Titans Go! "The Cruel Giggling Ghoul"
Loved it. Aside from having good animation, that was a pretty accurate Scooby Doo parody. They even managed to unmask Batman and find a good way to buy it back. Why not, right? I'm betting Dick is getting a talking to later.
Lebron James in the theme song was fun.
I think Cyborg and Beast Boy made a good Shaggy and Scooby. I also was surprised at how good of a Brando Scott Menville is capable of.
This show has been sucking up the joint recently, so I am very happy whenever we actually get a great episode. ****1/2.
DC Super Hero Girls "Hero Of The Month: Bumblebee"
Cute, and not as awful as some. ***1/2.
The Flash "Welcome To Earth-2"
That was amazeballs and exploded the show wide open. The sky is the limit now just based on this version of Killer Frost.
First off, I snickered at Tom Cavanaugh picking up the machine gun at the beginning. If this show is ever going to expect me to buy TV's Ed as a bad@$$, they can look elsewhere for that sucker. It cannot be done. But Danielle Panabaker as an evil sociopath? She nailed it. Which goes to how the show is going to explode.
I predict Earth-2 Killer Frost will die next week. I would rather it was our Caitlin, and she went out a hero, but Reverb now demands it. There is no other solution.
Okay, so if Earth-2 Killer Frost dies next week, that means OUR Caitlin is gonna turn evil at some point. And don't you think that would totally freak OUR Cisco out? On Earth-2 he is even more evil than Killer Frost, and I bet if he sees that that happens to OUR Caitlin, he will fear the worst for himself (which the audience knows will never actually come). But that would be great drama! I'd love that! World-shattering stuff for a nothing character like Vibe. Holy cow!
Some differences on Earth 2. Deadshot is a cop, but a lousy one. Snart is mayor. Stein is probably still good, but is an unwilling participant in Deathstorm (and now dead). Frankly, I am relieved our Caitlin didn't have to see Ronnie like that, and now with him dead, she never will. I would not wish that on her on her worst day, no matter what is in her future.
There are good things about Earth-2 too. I will not say that a universe in which Barry's parents are alive and happy is without merit. And yet, when you see Joe look at Barry with such hatred in his eyes, you realize it IS still worse. Great way for the show to make use of Jesse L. Martin's Broadway training, wasn't it?
I loved seeing Supegirl in the timestream. This shows that even before they got the greenlight on the crossover, Berlanti was looking to find other ways to make the Supergirl show DCTVU canon. Which is tight.
This episode tells me that this show is going to be amazing for the rest of its run. That's how huge a deal it was. *****.
Arrow "Sins Of The Father"
Am I the only one who thinks it's goofy that the entire League of Assassin's power structure is simply decided by who wears a piece of jewelry? Remember the Elder Wand in Harry Potter? The curse of that object was that people kept stealing it over and over again as the owners slept and they slit their throats. If leadership of the League truly only depends on ownership of a ring, and not the death of the person wearing it, then the club should have a new President every couple of weeks. Depending on how drunk the ring wearer is.
And how do you get rid of the entire centuries old organization that has ingrained itself into every country and government on Earth? Simply melt the ring! Because nobody else in the organization could POSSIBLY have a problem with that, am I right? No, that's totally cool!
"Bygones!" --Richard Fish.
Smooth sailing for Nyssa from now on, I guess. I am not as dumb as this show thinks I am.
I don't even know why Malcolm's mad. That was the kindest thing Oliver could have done for him. Would he truly have preferred that Oliver killed him? After the stunt Malcolm pulled earlier in the episode, can you blame Oliver not wanting to see Nyssa die because of that shmuck? Jesus. And he tells Darhk about William. Because he sucks.
Is it William in the grave? I would be happy and upset for very different reasons. Happy because I don't give a cr*p about William (sorry, Oliver) and upset because if they DO pick the little kid we barely know, they would have been jerking us around for an entire season for no reason. But if it is William, it explains why Barry is there. He's one of the only people who knew about him.
It's William if the show doesn't play fair with the audience, Thea if it does.
Can you imagine Malcolm's reaction to Thea's death now that the only other thing that mattered to him is gone? While the wuss in me hopes it is William, the sadist in me wants to see what Malcolm would do with THAT.
I love how easily Oliver beat him in that fight. I thought that was so perfect considering how brutal their fights in season 1 were. Malcolm is a non-entity after Deathstroke and the real Ra's Al Ghul. Which makes total sense.
My favorite moment in the episode was when Oliver gently told Felicity she didn't have to be funny for him. I have to say, hearing him say that made me realize once again what an amazing person Oliver actually is. That's an phenomenal thing to say to somebody you love, especially somebody who is used to doing the comforting in the relationship. Part of the reason I never shipped Oliver and Felicity for the first couple of seasons is that I (not without reason) thought she was too good for him. I no longer think that, and think they are perfect together and for each other.
Any episode that has Malcolm Merlyn being humiliated gets a positive grade. But seriously, this whole League of Assassins thing is so stupid. ****.
DC's Legends Of Tomorrow "White Knights"
Holy cow, that Russian chick is hot.
And Wentworth Miller is smooth. Atom never had a chance. I love that he stole her wallet. Why not, right? Other than the fact that it was probably filled with Russian money. Still, Snart seems to steal mostly because it is fun. And I cannot deny that he's having fun here.
Anybody else aware that Wentworth Miller can briefly be seen in Buffy The Vampire Slayer's theme song in season three? He is in the clip of the guy having a fish claw explode out of his hand from season two's "Go Fish". I was always impressed with the guy, even back in the day.
I also love that Snart has a strict moral code, which has always been one of the most fun things about the Flash rogues. He is angry at Rip for being forced to leave Rory and Ray behind.
I love Rory. Because he's simple. Not exactly dumb. But he's easy to please, is great at following orders, and doesn't overthink things. If he's told to do something crazy, he'll do it without question or second thought. That's really funny.
The drama with Firestorm and Kendra and Sara was less cool. I'm usually more the human drama guy in the DCTVU, but none of those four characters are as inherently interesting as Snart, Rory, or Ray. When they start doing character dramas for those guys I'll probably sit up and take notice.
Pretty good. I could tell I enjoyed it because it was over before I realized it. That is a good thing. ****.
Supergirl "For The Girl Who Has Everything"
This was a pretty good episode of Supergirl. But a lousy adaptation of "For The Man Who Has Everything".
First off, while Kara tried to make a half-@$$ed explanation as to why her Earth friends aren't present, I think maybe a version of a couple of them SHOULD have been. Would it truly have messed up Kara to have a boyfriend that was a mix of Jimmy and Win, or a sister that didn't actually exist in reality? I don't buy Kara's Heaven because she isn't surrounded by the people who actually make her happy.
Secondly, "For The Man..." was ABOUT the Black Mercy. Pretty much exclusively. If they were not gonna do a gimmick episode and completely make it about Kara, they shouldn't have bothered. We have the Kryptonian War, the ridiculous (but admittedly amusing) scenario of J'onn cross-dressing as Kara at work, too much else was going on. "For The Man..." was a special story because it focused on Superman's inner thoughts. We didn't really get that for Kara here.
About the best thing I can say for the episode is that it will cause Alan Moore to have a meltdown. And those are always amusing. ***.
Lucifer "The Would-Be Prince Of Darkness"
5 things I learned about Lucifer this week.
1. Lucifer is the actual devil and the son of God. There is no other way to interpret his snide remarks about his father being obsessed with graven images.
2. I think the middle-aged hot mess therapist is kind of sexy. My tastes have changed as I've gotten older, but she is the kind of chick I now dig.
3. God does not control the weather. The Noah thing was an aberration.
4. Never let Lucifer help you. Because then you'll owe him a favor. And that sounds ominous.
5. The procedural worked this week in a way it did not last week. Maybe it was too coincidental, but that's pretty much the only way I'll buy it. Besides, this show explores Heaven and Hell. Who is to say divine will or fate isn't involved?
Better than last week. ***1/2.
iZombie "Physician, Heal Thy Selfie"
This season finale is going to be amazing. My one complaint of the episode is that they should have gone with the "no-brainer" concept, and have Liv go hungry for an episode, and get a little bit feral. But the episode had so much else going on, I won't hold that misstep against it.
That poor Twitter "troll" getting murdered by Max Rager confirms something: this whole zombie thing is MUCH larger than Blaine, and always has been. We had been led to believe he was the Big Bad last year, but he's a cog at best. We probably only thought he was so important because he himself believed he was such hot stuff. But all of the stuff with Max Rager and Mr. Boss, tells me even if he IS the new major player, he's still just a player. He is just as big a part of the game as everyone else. We thought he was Dungeonmaster, but he isn't.
Major has been coming up with more and more creative ways to not have to murder somebody. I keep wondering how long he can keep being that creative for. He needs help and is drowning. He is in way over his head and always has been.
Ravi and Peyton were fun this episode, and it's always great to ship those two. I loved the scene of Liv walking into the room with Peyton and Blaine. That was a bad enough blow for Blaine. Even worse was when he was recognized at the funeral home by Mr. Boss. Blaine's luck has been running out this week and last, and I can't wait to see how he finally falls.
If you had told me like four episodes ago that this show would be this good right now, I probably wouldn't have believed you. But the more the pieces come together, the better it is. I should have learned to trust Rob Thomas. *****.
Be Cool, Scooby Doo! "Gremlin On A Plane"
Finally! Scooby's technical engineering degree pays off!
First time in the series history the villain got off the "Meddling Kids" catchphrase. He stuttered it a little, but it counts.
Daphne was so cute flying the plane. She is definitely my favorite character.
Food is turning against Shaggy and Scooby! The horror!
My question is if Ed will be charged with attempted murder. Chasing people out of airplanes goes a little bit farther than chasing someone out of an amusement park.
Good episode. You can never have too many mottos. ****.
Bunnicula "Spiderlamb"
Too gross for my tastes. *1/2.
Bunnicula "Alligator Tears"
I liked the African-American mice who were trying to get Harold to cry quieter. ***.
Marvel's Agent Carter "The Atomic Job"
Peggy and Jarvis are pretty much the most perfect couple that ever existed. The fact that there is absolutely nothing sexual between them is the most perfect thing about them.
I am now a big fan of Rose. And I ship her and the scientist even if she doesn't dig him. So there.
I love that Jarvis is upset after handling the bomb. He is uncool. And why should he be? He's a freaking butler! If he wasn't upset there would be something wrong with him.
When Whitney threatened her husband's life for the first time, you can finally see in his eyes that he realizes the trap he is in. And there is no guarantee the Council will get him out of it.
Ken Marino is a well-known comic actor, but he's underappreciated in dramatic roles. The only surprise I had about Marino's magnificent performance is that more people don't hire him to do stuff like that. They totally should. He was scary.
Speaking of scary, seeing Hayley Atwell abuse Ray Wise was phenomenal. Just because of Leland Palmer's depraved history with young, beautiful women. Peggy struck back for the abused Laura Palmers everywhere. Peggy refused to take the ring.
I love that Violet is an awesome person. It would be MUCH easier for all involved if she wasn't.
Dr. Wilkes. I still can't get enough of him. Just the low-key and comforting way his actor speaks is riveting to watch. They struck gold with this recurring character. I hope he returns in season three.
I loved this episode. ****1/2.
Star Wars Rebels "The Call"
Space whales! Cute (but slight) filler episode. I had no real objections to it however. ***1/2.
The Muppets "A Tale Of Two Piggies"
I'm going to be blunt: that sucked.
First off, Gonzo and Camilla broke up? What is wrong with this show? It's good they brought her back at the end, but that doesn't stop the idea from being idiotic. Why? Because Gonzo's girlfriend being a chicken is a dumb joke, and the show shouldn't be treating it seriously, or try to wring pathos out of it.
Which brings me to another point: while it is certainly interesting to ponder the idea that the funny animal Muppets face societal expectations to act human, that's no fun to think about. It bums me out. Prejudice in real life is horrible enough. I don't want to have to see the Muppets put up with it. Maybe that's my white privilege speaking. But there also is a case to be made that by extending civil rights analogies to pigs and frogs, it means they aren't taking it seriously. It's bad for two reasons, and neither helps the show.
And finally, the Pig Tail ending was embarrassing. It was the kind of cloying "everybody gets a trophy" ending you'd see on a bad 80's sitcom. I know the show is capable of writing good endings to scenarios like this. They've done it many times before. Which means I'm not going to excuse it when they don't, and take the easy Bob Saget way out.
Any good things? Ian Ziering showing up after the pounding he took shows that he's a good sport, (he's 51? Yikes!) but I also kind of think that this version of The Muppets is too mean to celebrities. The Muppets are not The Simpsons, or South Park, or Family Guy, and I kind of don't think they should turn into them just because they are going for a more "adult" vibe. It's cynical. And part of one of the biggest problems the new show has.
That aggravated me. *.
The Lion Guard "Bunga The Wise"
I hate this episode so much. Partly because Bunga is the worst character and partly because all of the animals are so stupid. I get that this show often tries to tie its moral into African Folk Tales which often involve a smart animal tricking a dumb animal. But as a modern audience member I don't think groups of people should be portrayed as that dumb. And if they are, they shouldn't be portrayed as ultimately benign and well-meaning (see South Park and Springfield's town riots).
Plus, the moral didn't hold up. Rafiki supposedly declared Bunga was the wisest animal. So what Rafiki says goes. But if Rafiki's opinion TRULY matters that much, isn't HE the de facto wisest animal?
I get that this is a pre-school show. I just hate when group stupidity is simply treated as a learning experience. Stupid mobs with dumb opinions lead nowhere good. I'm not on board with any show showing they are harmless and ultimately willing to learn a lesson. The people beaten up at Donald Trump rallies might disagree. *.
The Lion Guard "Never Judge A Leopard By Its Spots"
I loved this episode. Because believe it or not, scavengers like hyenas ARE an essential part of the Circle of Life, and it's a bit alarming that the movie pretends differently. They are necessary. And it is a VERY good message for kids that just because someone is a certain race or color, it doesn't mean they are as scary as a racist's portrayal of them is. Frankly, as scary as the Nazi march in the movie was, it kind of veered into the facelessness of evil, which is a very weird moral for kids, and I don't think they'd be able to see the nuance of it. All they'll take from it is that all hyenas are bad, and equally bad at that. And nothing will change that. While that makes a cool visual for a scary musical number, it's also one of those ideas like The Incredibles Objectivism that is completely inappropriate for kids who can't properly absorb it. Granted, there IS no good message to properly absorb from The Incredibles, but The Lion King is definitely one of the good guys as far as teaching kids about responsibility and good behavior. All hyenas being bad and not part of the Circle of Life was the one objectionable message it had.
Do you know what this means? Even Mufasa is wrong about all hyenas. Maybe it's truly the kids who are all right. *****.
The Lion Guard "The Kupatana Celebration"
Stupid, predictable, and badly written. Which kind of tells me that's what this show is going to be in general, and that the good episodes are going to be the aberration. That kind of bums me out. **.
Mickey Mouse "Couple's Sweaters"
A Disney Animation first: We see Mickey Mouse's butt crack for the first time.
Hey, don't look at me like that. I was the guy who jumped up and down when Jake Sisko referenced using the bathroom in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Explorers" for the first time in that franchise's then 35 year old history. A milestone is a milestone. ***1/2.
Girl Meets World "Girl Meets Commonism"
Let's ignore the fact that the episode oversimplifies communism to please conservative parents. Let's ignore the red-baiting and faux Patriotic pandering. Let's pretend that any kidcom dealing with politics of ANY sort on The Disney Channel is anything but ill-advised. I have one question:
Why isn't Riley Matthews the most hated girl in school?
I like to think that whenever the other kids outside of the group go home they seethe and rage over what kid gloves Mr. Matthews treats his precious daughter with despite her detestable behavior. She loudly, and cartoonishly proclaims (while sitting on the honor board no less) that her friends should get special treatment for cheating on a test. Out loud. For seemingly no other reason than they're her friends. And it turns out she secretly helped them cheat. As if it's adorable instead of the reason people like her in real life aren't spending every minute on the playground being beaten within an inch of their lives. Because Riley does not live a life of commonism. She lives one of privilege. And the writers trying to paint her entitled behavior as leftwing is galling enough. It's that Cory thinks it is too that is appalling. Riley gets away with what she does because her father is her teacher. That's all. She'd be in juvie in real life and causing quite a few child therapists to question every life decision they ever made. Riley is an outright psychopath who gets away with murder because everyone lets her. It's not Maya or Farkle who is the problem this episode (or even this series). It's her. She is an attention starved mess.
Riley isn't a communist. She's one of the Tsars the communists lined up against the wall and shot. Maybe that would not be an appropriate message for The Disney Channel, which just show why they shouldn't have tackled communism in the first place.
I gotta say, Cory was quirky on Boy Meets World, and probably loud-mouthed and obnoxious as far as kids go. But kids are loud-mouthed and obnoxious in real life, so that just made him normal. I do not recognize Riley's behavior outside of a mental hospital. The girl is deranged, and why she isn't a pariah in her school is beyond me.
I choose to believe the kids at Riley's school spend every waking minutes outside of school cursing her and her disgusting enabling father's names, and hoping they get hit by a bus. Because that's kind of what I'm doing now.
Oh, and any show that dresses a 6 or 7 year-old boy (or however old the kid who plays Auggie is) in women's clothes with a wig needs its head examined. There is a reason Disney kidcoms have gotten a REALLY bad rap for screwing up child actors, even more than most of the rest of television does. 0.
The X-Files "Home Again"
"Scully, back in the day is now."
--Fox Mulder, back and better than ever.
Or is he? I gotta say, Mulder was acting pretty off-putting at the crime scenes. He's gotten goofy in his old age. While the bum is giving his crazy monologue, he's fingering his knick-knacks and doesn't seem to understand that strangers don't actually find his gallows humor funny. And it's a bit out of character. Mulder's whole shtick on the old show was that he was laid back and emotionless. If he didn't talk so much, his personality would be considered laconic. Now he's Adrian Monk. I don't necessarily object to that, but it's inconsistent to what has come before.
I am impressed the show bothered to get back Sheila Larken to ostensibly be passed out and then wake up to briefly say one sentence before dying. She got a proper guest star credit out of it, so it must have worked out.
This show invented the TV trope of playing upbeat music while horrific things are happening (although Stanley Kubrick used it in A Clockwork Orange too) and this version of "Downtown" was an excellent example of that.
The opening scene was so great because I had no idea what was going on. The only thing I could tell for sure was that Felix Gaeta was doomed.
Bill Scully has always been a total ahole. He's always hated Mulder too. Well guess what? Mulder is there and he isn't.
I loved this episode. ****1/2.
Power Rangers: Dino Super Charge "Nightmare In Amber Beach"
Shelby's father carrying around samples of ice cream packets in his suit was a stretch. His clothes should be dripping with yogurt.
I did like the scene where Heckyl's duplicity was uncovered though. I thought that was well-done for this franchise. ***1/2.
Sleepy Hollow "Incident At Stone Manor"
I love that Abbie's hair turned curly in the other dimension. Ten months without hair straightener will do that and I love that they gave us that detail.
Abbie and Crane at the end were adorable with each other. It's all about the chess with those two.
Abbie is a stronger person than me. I would have considered the crystal an acceptable loss, and made the deal with Pandora to save Crane and get home. My thought process behind that would be that I'd try to get the stone once I got back. But Abbie is also smarter than me. Even though the show never says otherwise, there is still no guarantee Pandora would have kept her bargain. Abbie kicked her butt at chess, and managed to turn herself (a pawn) back into a second Queen at the end. How's that for an analogy?
Sophie is a series regular now too. Ironically, even though there are more cast members than ever before, the show doesn't seem as crowded as it did last year. As long as it focuses on Crane and Abbie, with supporting roles for Jenny and Joe, the show still works. Joe does not ruin the show the way Hawley did, and he doesn't suck like Katrina wound up sucking. This season is NOT as good as season one. But the show is actually watchable again.
I like that Pandora gave up her power willingly at the end as penance. That was very interesting.
Good episode. I like this season. ****.
Grimm "Star-Crossed"
Wade Williams does NOT look scary with normal length hair which is a very good thing for this episode. He convinced me he was a docile guy who was concerned for his son. I don't blame him attacking Nick. And I appreciate that Nick doesn't either. He says he understands why he did it.
Magically removing someone's eyes, ears, and mouth, is pretty much the most horrific form of torture I can imagine. I HATE Eve for it, even if the guy was a bad guy. There is no one who wouldn't talk after that. I shudder just thinking about it.
I still trust Meisner. Mostly because I still trust Trubel.
Pretty good episode this week. Plus, we got to see the extended opening title with Eve for the first time. ***1/2.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine "The 9-8"
There will be some critics of the police would will consider it rich that this show had Jake turn on his best friend and report him for being dirty. But that's the point. It IS unlikely. That is why the 9-9 is different. Every other precinct is dirty. The show acknowledges the inherent corruption in the system, and shows things the way they SHOULD be. The 9-9 is completely unrealistic. But in a better world it would be. I think we should strive for that.
Amy planning to kill the dog says many things about Amy, none of them good. I'll chalk it up to temporary insanity due to allergies, but frankly the guy with the dog had a better claim to being disabled than she does in that moment.
Holt measures rulers and can tell if there is a flaw in one. That says everything too.
As usual, the best part was the teaser. I loved Gina ending the auction early simply because Scully offering her a date upset her. You rarely see her get flustered, and I love that she was completely honest about creeped out she was in that moment. Gina b.s.-es other people about things she wants, but never about her own feelings.
I liked the end of Jake's old partner being on the outside of Charles and Jake's friendship and trying to horn in as pathetically as Charles did earlier in the episode. It was actually quite funny and disarming, and makes you realize cool people aren't necessarily cool people deep down. A lot of it has to do with the people they hang out with.
Good episode. ****.
The Shannara Chronicles "Breakline"
Seeing the 20 sided dice and the yearbook reminds me what an irresistible conceit a fantasy epic set in the far future is. I would really like to get the full story on what happened the day the world ended. These clue are sure tantalizing.
Glad Alanon isn't dead and I'm glad the Changeling was found out. I didn't expect that prince to be the one to be king, but he's the only one left, so it makes sense.
I'm starting to enjoy this show. ***1/2.
American Dad! "Hayley Smith, Seal Team Six"
Jeff will never leave Hayley. He's got no place to go.
I love that Jeff now knows Roger is an alien. I love it whenever a long-running series changes up the status quo, even a little. It gives the show some forward momentum, which is important to me.
I like when the pervert asks Steve and his friend if they are into soft pork, Barry gets concerned.
Hayley is in charge with how long Jeff sits someplace. Which is how it should be.
I love Joe Handler's bobblehead moment.
Happy Hayley and Klaus are arch-enemies. I'd totally watch Fish and the Jeffman. Fun fact: Jeff's last name is Fisher.
Children are surprisingly sexual. Roger learned that in the University of the Ozarks. Go Possums!
Nature Valley Granola bars make you poop drywall. But I already knew that.
It's wrong to see an adult woman dressed like a child. This isn't The Disney Channel. Loved Hayley's patty-cake game with Roger. Great rhymes there.
Oh, God, the Hambulance and the Perv actually being pigs in Steve's vision was great. I laughed at the idea that the meat had maggots in it. Because after 12 days it would have. Steve is so dumb.
Funny episode. ****.
Colony "Geronimo"
You know, I'd feel sorrier for Luis if that didn't go exactly how I thought it would go. Of COURSE the execution would be public, and of COURSE they'd want to see his face in the noose. The only thing that surprised me is that Luis is surprised. Did he learn nothing from those radio broadcasts he did?
I think it is amazing the chick Will works with told him her theory about Katie this early on. Because she's RIGHT, and it feels weird to me to hear that subject broached with Will this early on. I expected them to save that for later (perhaps the season 1 finale).
I think we take things like markers and coffee for granted. They are both good things.
I am a little bit disappointed we didn't actually learn who Geronimo is, or even if he exists. I kind of felt I was owed that a little. ***.
You, Me, And The Apocalypse "Still Stuff Worth Fighting For"
This show is my new best friend.
Since we know the scientists are going to fail, that means that Father Jude and Celine have pretty much the most important jobs on Earth. I liked Jude's observation that the vow of chastity is a lot easier for him because he got it out of his system as a young man, and doesn't have the hang-ups about it many virgin priests do. I never thought of it like that, but I bet it's true.
Seeing a birth and a guy with a terminal illness in the scenario gives new meanings to both of those things. The birth is a tragedy, because even when I rooting with Jamie for it to breathe, I know it will be dead in a month. This show is really thought-provoking and profound.
Nick Offerman coming out to Rhonda was extremely moving to me. I love that they didn't actually play it as a joke, despite the scene being played by two comic actors. It worked.
This is a lot like The Last Man On Earth except I always feel better after watching it. And that is a very good thing. *****.
The Blacklist "Lady Ambrosia"
That was pretty much one of the worst Blacklisters ever. Red telling the son Theo that he was entitled to joy and beauty and love just goes to show that Red is a decent human being. And bringing Anya back to her mother is another one of the miraculous carrots Red always seems to be able to offer.
I think Liz is very lucky she has the protection she does at her house, as annoying and inconvenient as it is.
Tom barely standing, bloody in the bathtub, and holding a knife up to that kid pretty much told me he's going to be the worst father ever.
When Ressler thoughtlessly says he'd never give his kid up for adoption, I wanted to slap him. I hate that guy and I love that Navabi does too now.
Glenn has pretty much stopped being funny and turned into all creep. It used to be amusing that he seemed to be the only person who kept Red on his toes, but the whole "willing" thing tells me the guy is secretly a monster and Red has always had a low tolerance for those kinds of people. The fact that he has to work with him is probably as distasteful to Red as it seems to be for Glenn.
Decent episode, but the show has done better. ***.
Blindspot "Pilot"
This is one of those shows that could potentially get better as it goes along. But as of now? The first episode is average.
It seems to be under the impression that the concept is more irresistible than it is. But I don't really think of it as high concept. Those kinds of show are groundbreaking in their uniqueness. The show cribs its various scenarios from it's high concept from other sources. That technically makes it low concept.
A naked woman in plastic appearing out of nowhere? Laura Palmer in Twin Peaks. A mysterious full body tattoo that is part treasure map? Michael Scofield in Prison Break. Amnesiac lead character? John Doe in John Doe. Unknown connection to a main character that they've never met before? Liz Keene and Red Reddington from The Blacklist. The episode expects me to find the scene where her hand sticks out of the bag and she reveals herself naked and covered in tattoos as iconic and a huge deal, and I'm sort of like "Been there, done that. Yawn."
Also, why doesn't Jamie Alexander get top billing on their show? For the hours she must spend in make-up, you'd figure that would be the least they could do.
I'm not impressed with the first episode. But I'm also not going to stop watching either. **1/2.
Blindspot "A Stray Howl"
Okay, this is obviously one of those shows that they retooled from the Pilot. Probably network mandates, because the first episode was so underwhelming. Some things are good, some things are not so good. They expanded Weller's backstory, including giving him a missing childhood friend (who I'm betting is not actually Jane) and revealing he lives with his sister and her kid. The network probably felt the lead should have a nice home life. They also turned one of the agents into the series contrarian, who seems mistrustful of Jane for no real reason. I'm not saying the reasons he states don't sound legit. But any one of the characters could state those opinions, and it seems like he was the random luck of the draw to be made the group ahole. The fact that Ashley Johnson's non-descript agent from the Pilot has suddenly turned almost as lovable as Felicity Smoak tells me that this particular show was very much a work in progress when NBC bought the Pilot. Shows often evolve and change over the course of the first season. I don't usually see so many differences between a Pilot and the second episode unless there is something wrong with the Pilot. This does not fill me with confidence.
On the plus side, revealing that Jane once murdered a nun was a juicy conceit, made juicier that they didn't really buy it back at the end. Sure, we showed there was a REASON for it, but as for as I'm concerned, retrieved a data drive is not a GOOD reason to murder a nun. But maybe I just have impossibly high standards.
Better than the Pilot, but the fact that it is is very interesting. Almost no second episodes of good shows are better than the first. I cannot think of a single example. There are a couple of great shows whose seconds episodes are EQUALLY good, but if the second episode outdoes the pilot, especially if the show is supposedly high concept, there might be stuff going on behind the scenes. And that's the end of that chapter. Uh oh, Spaghettios. ***.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Return To NYC!
Soccer Mom edition for episodes 8-14 of Season three.
Good batch of episodes on the disc. Bebop and Rocksteady make their debuts, and even if I think the episode where they were mutated (Serpent Hunt) mostly got things wrong, the rest of the episodes got things mostly right. "Vision Quest" was remarkable, "Return To New York" was everything I ever wanted (including a revamped main title), the second part of the two parter "Battle For New York" rocked, and "Casey Jones Vs. The Underworld was probably the best episode of the season. Worst episodes are the aforementioned Serpent Hunt, which made the mutations TOO gruesome, and the one with the stupid Mikey beginning (Battle For New York, Part 1). Disc overall: ****.
Vision Quest:
Beyond cool. The episode starts off wrong with Leo embarrassingly getting his butt kicked by a deer, but we soon learn there are larger reasons behind this particular humiliation. I love that we got the Splinter Fire Spirit from the original movie. I have to say Splinter's advice to each of the Turtles was beyond wise, and I realize his presence was sorely missed for these last seven episodes. This is also a problem for the Turtles In Space arc in season four. I like that they tried to pair up the Turtles with a villain they had a personal connection with. Leo got Shredder, Raph Fishface, and Mikey Rah-Zar. That leaves Donnie the odd man out with Tiger Claw, of which he most certainly does NOT share a personal connection, but that's pretty much true of Donnie and ALL of Shredder's goons. They would have been better off having him face a Kraang. The fight between Shredder and Leo was sick too. I like that is turns out Leo's knee pains have become psychosomatic, which means he can get better. I especially loved Leo pulling rank over Donnie whining about Casey and April. Let it go, dude. I also loved Mikey's "I was wrong about the camo" moment. This was such an awesome episode. ****1/2.
Return To New York:
First things first: love the new main title. Each of the Turtles gets showcased in their Mystic costumes, and seeing new footage of Master Splinter training April makes me giddy. And look! That's Bebop and Rocksteady and Mondo Gecko and Leatherhead and the Party Wagon! Squee! This new main title told me the second half of the season would be great. As angry as Raph was at Casey for crashing through the gates, I have to agree with Casey that it was the only move he could make. And it somehow got them in the city which means Raph should save his complaints. And Buzzkill is now officially a thing. Those Mutant Shredders were kind of goofy, but that's the comic too so I can't really beat the show up too badly for it. Dr. Cluckensworth sickens Raphael. As he should. Do you know what struck me about Stockman's cruelty to Splinter this episode? It was unprovoked. As far as I know, he and Splinter never crossed paths before, so there is no reason for him to be as horrible to him as he is. He simply chooses to be. These are the kinds of people Shredder surrounds himself with. Remember that. I also love how when Splinter gets his memory back, he doesn't say a word, but April knows it worked anyways. Very effective, especially for an animated show. Great episode. ****1/2.
Serpent Hunt:
I gotta say, I was really disappointed by the last three minutes of that. The show continues to make poor storytelling decisions. Whoever's idea it was to make the mutations of Zeck and Steranko be horrific should be fired. Ninja Turtles, the franchise, is part comedy. The mutations are the funny bit. The show basically doesn't understand that it is ruining one of the franchise's biggest selling points. It's SUPPOSED to be funny, and we're supposed to WANT to see it. By making Zeck and Steranko horrible victims begging for mercy, the show stopped giving me permission to have fun with the idea. This show doesn't make as many mistakes with the franchise as the Michael Bay abortion does, but it ruins perfectly good parts of the canon for no good reason, which was exactly everybody's complaint about the Megan Fox movie. This show is not immune to wrecking important Turtle moments. But I will concede the rest of the episode was dynamite. You knew things were bleak for Steranko and Zeck when they cackle that Oroku Saki would HAVE to make a deal with them. Another reason I outright feel sorry for them. They are way in over their heads and that is unfair on a large level. Still, I don't feel TOO badly. Their fate was sealed upon Saki witnessing them clumsily leading Karai around with the electric torture collar and then clutching his fist. I also like that Steranko has been eating the spy roaches. There was one dumb joke I took note of: Mikey mistaking the shed snake skin for potato chips and eating them over and over and over again. I kind of feel like Donnie could have spoken up to Mikey a LOT earlier than he did. It was funny, but now I think Donnie's an ahole. I can't tell whether to be outraged or amused that Mikey calls his brothers "My ninjas" in eubonics. The "reject from 1987" line was great because that was the year Bebop and Rocksteady actually debuted on television. I also love that the Turtles gave as good as they got with the Shredder for the first time. They didn't beat him, but it was the first time he didn't effortlessly punk them, and they were able to smack him down long enough to give themselves time to escape. That shows good progress on both the show's and the Turtles' part. ***1/2.
The Pig And The Rhino:
"Bebop is a stupid name!" I would like to point something out: for their first full appearance, Bebop and Rocksteady actually succeeded in their mission. That is unprecedented in Turtle lore. I have to agree with Zeck that Mikey's naming skills were quite lazy this episode, and that because he put no effort into it he's stuck with the name of Bebop. As if being a warthog wasn't bad enough. Don't feel too bad for Zeck though. When he says "I would NEVER hit a lady. But I'd trip her," that said exactly what kind of scumbag he was. I thought it was really moving that Karai let them know where she was to say goodbye. Which makes me doubly angry Splinter isn't actually in the episode! He should have been there for that moment. I would also like to say that Shredder is stupid for offering to let Zeck and Steranko work for him. He just screwed them over in a way that destroyed their lives. Does he REALLY want two people with that big a motive for revenge on his payroll? Bradford and Xever's mutations weren't Shredder's fault, so hiring them was fine, and Shredder knows Stockman well enough to know he's not a threat. But Shredder's punishment of mutating them only works if he cuts them loose and never sees them again. If Bebop and Rocksteady were even slightly smarter, they'd be planning revenge. Immediately. Shredder is not immortal. And he has to sleep sometime. The fact that he lucks out in getting guys this dumb working for him does not change the fact that it is an outright bad idea. One good thing Shredder did: telling his men to leave Steranko and Zeck to him and let him kick their @$$es on his own. That let them know who was boss. And I think April pointed out why Zeck's invisibility power is useless: the dude never shuts up. Goes against the entire notion of stealth, but Bebop is a moron. ****.
Battle For New York: Part. 1:
There is much to enjoy in the first part of the mid-season capper (The Turtle Blimp! The Mighty Mutanimals!) but truthfully? Part 1 blows. Big time. Let's talk about the good things before we get into the fiasco. First off, it was genius to put Leatherhead in the Mutanimals if they were going to make Slash leader. Because that means the Turtles would be willing to hear him out. And I totally buy his "It was the mutagen" excuse. In fact, it makes sense. I also love that Kraang Subprime is sick and tired of the Kraang abusing the English language. It's interesting because Kraang Prime herself sucks at English too. The fact that Bishop also speaks perfectly fine in the season finale hints to me that this was the show's way to subtly hint that Kraang Subprime used to be an Utrom. I never put that together before now, but that would make sense. I also loved the moment of Slash being concerned with Pigeon Pete, which makes you realize Leo's concerns about Slash using him as bait were groundless. I also love the haunted expression on April's face as she says "I can see them in my dreams." It was like something out of a horror comic. Let's talk about the bad, because the bad is outright Godawful. That opening scene right there made Michelangelo one of the most detestable characters on television. Didn't they JUST show how horrific the mutations are? They can't have it both ways. They can't expect me to forgive Mikey fooling around in Donnie's lab for no other reason than he thinks it would funny, after we've seen all of the lives that stuff has destroyed. Making mutagen serious business was a bad idea in the first place, but that also means that the characters have to take it seriously too. What especially galls me is that Mikey is not punished for this foolishness. I also have to call b.s. on Mikey having a hard time remembering the ingredients if they were going to say he has a photographic memory later in the season. I could excuse that in season one or two. Not the season where it is actually an issue. When Splinter says Kurtzman is "fine" I thought that word does not mean what he thinks it does. Also, can I just point out that they picked the most Z-lister team possible for the Mutanimals outside of Leatherhead and Slash? Monkey Brains? Pigeon Pete? They should have introduced Mondo Gecko earlier and had him be a member. And they should have found a stupid, unrealistic way to include Napoleon Bonafrog as well. As if now, with only two legit members, the show is not doing the Mighty Mutanimals concept justice. Part 2 is MUCH better than Part 1. But that doesn't make Part 1 suck any less. *1/2.
Battle For New York: Part 2:
Okay, remember the photographic memory thing? It's good because it explains why Mikey is such an expert in Dimension X. He follows Donnie to the letter by doing the exact opposite. Mikey being the Master of Dimension X never fit well. But if he has a photographic memory, it does. An army of Irma Kraangdroids doesn't suck. I love Raph saying "Raise the misen masts, lads!". Mikey flying around with the laser blasters was sweet too. The one false note of the episode was Leatherhead trying to comfort Slash about his leadership skills. The reason it doesn't work is because Slash hasn't done anything for the viewer to earn their sympathies. Yes, I want to give him a second chance. But I'm not all the way there in believing he deserves it yet. Putting the cart before the horse in that moment. One last complaint: Mikey calls the mutant humans "servants". That's b.s.. They're slaves and if the show is afraid to use that word, it shouldn't explore the premise. Being a slave is wrong. There is nothing wrong with being a servant. Great conclusion otherwise. *****1/2. Two-Part Average: ***.
Casey Jones Vs. The Underworld:
I freaking love this episode. I love that it has so much going on and so many layers. First things first: Hun: What do I think? As awesome as this version is (wasn't him licking the hockey puck a hoot?) that isn't Hun. I kind of feel like they did a Jet Li tribute, and just put Hun's name on it. This version of Hun is actually better than the original. But this is also the first character the show has tackled that was exclusive to the 2003 series. I kind of feel like the show had more of an obligation to stick to the essentials here. Hun is not a hotshot. He's massive and loyal. You know how this version of Shredder is deformed? 2003's is not because Hun took a rat for him. That's Hun's whole shtick. Undying loyalty to Shredder at the expense of his own well-being. Just the fact that this guy is so self-sacrificing is pretty much the sole reason he was the only villain on the 2003 series Shredder never punished. He was that show's version of Tiger Claw. Another complaint: as toyetic as it was seeing Shredder ride around town on a motorcycle, it rang completely false for a couple of reasons. Oroku Saki is stinking rich. He doesn't ride himself around like a biker, that's what limos are for. Also, WAY too conspicuous. The Foot lives in the shadows. It's about as misbegotten an idea as the Torchwood SUV. And Mikey eating Cheesyballs was terrible. There is a point where "coincidence" passes into "bad writing" and Turtles crossed that line in the moment. But the rest of the episode was fantastic. I totally felt Casey's pain this episode. And do you know what? It WAS unfair for the Turtles to bench him on the alien invasion. Splinter and April definitely needed to stay put to save Kurtzman, but I cannot imagine that Casey had enough medical training to truly be helpful. Or any at all for that matter. I was almost offended on his behalf when the Turtles laughed at him losing to the Purple Dragons. Casey and the Turtles' relationship has always been a bit contentious in all incarnations, but that was outright mean. I think the Turtles are WAY meaner to Casey in this incarnation than they ever have been. I like when he tells the Turtles that while they've been sitting around he's been saving the city. Heroes don't get downtime. But just the fact that he electrocuted Shredder here means that he can hold his head up high. No matter what happens to him in the future, he'll always have that. The moment where Shredder accosts him at the restaurant was tense. Does Shredder recognized him? Why does this kid seem so familiar? And will Shredder put it together in time? Fabulous moment. It was SO well timed and animated. It was perfection. And I love the second Casey escapes he's thrilled. As disastrous as his first meeting with Shredder went, he couldn't be happier he was almost killed. "That was so cool!" And I love the minute Casey gets ready to battle the Shredder he laughs. He is insane and I love that about him. When Shredder says to Casey "I have no time for idle threats!" I thought, where do YOU have to be that is so danged important? I'm sure Shredder thought it made him sound bad@$$ and significant' but I don't really think being a supervillain is something that puts you on a clock. Most bad guys don't feel the need to keep the meter running. They enjoy kicking good guy butt. Why doesn't Shredder? Oh well. I also loved hearing about all of the different gang territories and the rankings of the mob bosses. Steranko gives Shredder the Russian mob, Hun, the Asians, and Xever, the South Americans. Maybe Shredder WAS right to conscript Rocksteady after all. I also found it interesting when Bradford pointed out that he was field commander when Tiger Claw isn't present. Pulling rank on Fishface! Not cool, dude! The scene of the fat mob Don slurping the spaghetti and meatballs reminded me unpleasantly of a similarly disgusting scene from a Ralph Bakshi cartoon. I don't remember if it was Heavy Traffic or Coonskin, and as I hated both of those movies, I'm never going to watch them again to check. But that moment is still repulsive. I loved the moment where Shredder says "Us?" after the gross Don discusses them as businessmen like "Us". There is true disdain in Kevin Michael Richardson's voice, and you can tell this guy is so beneath Shredder Saki is actually a bit insulted. That was awesome. Also awesome was "What was so important in that case that you risked your life?" "I dunno. Let's find out!" This show rarely has good dialogue, but it was killing it this episode. Shredder saying that success should be rewarded, as failure should be punished makes him an interesting boss. He's famous for his sticks, but is totally willing to use carrots if his guys deserve it. Usually his gang isn't as competent as Hun or Tiger Claw, so that's probably why we see him being more of an ahole than he'd be if his employees didn't suck. This wound up being one of my favorite episodes of the season. *****.
The Mutation Of A Scene:
More storyboards / animatics. Overall: ***1/2.
Vision Quest: Interesting scene to choose for an animatic. ***.
Return To New York: Mikey is a jinx. I love those breath mint loaded soda pop cannons. They sting! They sting! ****.
Serpent Hunt: I always like seeing the evolution of Zeck's glowing effects in an animatic. ****.
The Pig And The Rhino: Every time I see Rocksteady fall from the sky and land on Bebop I wince. That had some serious force behind it. ***1/2.
Battle For New York: Part 1: The Mighty Mutanimals' first scene. I am amused at how exasperated Leo was at that couple whose lives he saved's ingratitude. "No, no, it's not like I just saved your lives or anything." You try and help somebody. ***1/2.
Battle For New York: Part 2: The "servants" thing still bugs me. I want to know what possessed Andrea Romano to cast Cassandra Peterson as Ms. Campbell. The last thing I do when I see Elvira on TV is listen to her voice, if you get my drift. Romano is always able to coax great performances out of people you didn't suspect had it in them. I love that Leatherhead actually eats a Kraang brain. That's about right. ****.
Casey Jones Vs. The Underworld: Good to see the storyboard for the puck lick (sick!) and am amused to see upon rewatching it a couple of times that Hun puts the whole thing in his mouth afterwards. Would have liked to have gotten the animatic for it too but my DVD player doesn't love me that much. ****1/2.
DVD Menu: Animated again, which is nice because the last two releases weren't. ****.
Upcoming reviews include Avengers: Age Of Ultron (Blu-Ray), Marvel's Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Season 2, Marvel's Agent Carter: Season 1, Ant-Man (Blu-Ray), The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (Blu-Ray), X-Men: Days Of Future Past: The Rogue Cut, The Lion Guard: Revenge Of The Roar (DVD), Inside Out (Blu-Ray), The Good Dinosaur (Blu-Ray), Star Wars Rebels: Season 1, Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League: Attack Of The Legion Of Doom, Batman Unlimited: Monster Mayhem, Teen Titans Go!: House Pests, Batman: Bad Blood, Arrow: Season 3, The Flash: Season 1, Gotham: Season 1, iZombie: Season 1, Be Cool Scooby Doo!: Spooky Kooky Fun!, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey: Extended Edition, The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug: Extended Edition, The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies: Extended Edition, Airplane! / Airplane II: The Sequel: Double Feature, Power Rangers: Zeo: Volume 1, Power Rangers: Zeo: Volume 2, Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie, Power Rangers Turbo: Volume 1, Power Rangers: Turbo: Volume 2, Power Rangers In Space Volume 1, Power Rangers In Space: Volume 2, Power Rangers Samurai: The Complete Season, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Revenge!, Avatar: The Last Airbender: Book 1: Water, Avatar: The Last Airbender: Book 2: Earth, Avatar: The Last Airbender: Book 3: Fire, Haven: Season 5 - Vol. 1, Under The Dome: Season 3, Sleepy Hollow: Season 2, Doctor Who: Dark Water / Death In Heaven, Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Season 2, The Jurassic Park Trilogy, Jurassic World, Back To The Future: The Complete Animated Series, Tremor 5: Bloodlines, Shaun The Sheep Movie (Blu-Ray), 12 Monkeys: Season 1, Grimm: Season 4, The Wonder Years: Season 4, and Mulholland Dr..
Teen Titans Go! "The Cruel Giggling Ghoul"
Loved it. Aside from having good animation, that was a pretty accurate Scooby Doo parody. They even managed to unmask Batman and find a good way to buy it back. Why not, right? I'm betting Dick is getting a talking to later.
Lebron James in the theme song was fun.
I think Cyborg and Beast Boy made a good Shaggy and Scooby. I also was surprised at how good of a Brando Scott Menville is capable of.
This show has been sucking up the joint recently, so I am very happy whenever we actually get a great episode. ****1/2.
DC Super Hero Girls "Hero Of The Month: Bumblebee"
Cute, and not as awful as some. ***1/2.
The Flash "Welcome To Earth-2"
That was amazeballs and exploded the show wide open. The sky is the limit now just based on this version of Killer Frost.
First off, I snickered at Tom Cavanaugh picking up the machine gun at the beginning. If this show is ever going to expect me to buy TV's Ed as a bad@$$, they can look elsewhere for that sucker. It cannot be done. But Danielle Panabaker as an evil sociopath? She nailed it. Which goes to how the show is going to explode.
I predict Earth-2 Killer Frost will die next week. I would rather it was our Caitlin, and she went out a hero, but Reverb now demands it. There is no other solution.
Okay, so if Earth-2 Killer Frost dies next week, that means OUR Caitlin is gonna turn evil at some point. And don't you think that would totally freak OUR Cisco out? On Earth-2 he is even more evil than Killer Frost, and I bet if he sees that that happens to OUR Caitlin, he will fear the worst for himself (which the audience knows will never actually come). But that would be great drama! I'd love that! World-shattering stuff for a nothing character like Vibe. Holy cow!
Some differences on Earth 2. Deadshot is a cop, but a lousy one. Snart is mayor. Stein is probably still good, but is an unwilling participant in Deathstorm (and now dead). Frankly, I am relieved our Caitlin didn't have to see Ronnie like that, and now with him dead, she never will. I would not wish that on her on her worst day, no matter what is in her future.
There are good things about Earth-2 too. I will not say that a universe in which Barry's parents are alive and happy is without merit. And yet, when you see Joe look at Barry with such hatred in his eyes, you realize it IS still worse. Great way for the show to make use of Jesse L. Martin's Broadway training, wasn't it?
I loved seeing Supegirl in the timestream. This shows that even before they got the greenlight on the crossover, Berlanti was looking to find other ways to make the Supergirl show DCTVU canon. Which is tight.
This episode tells me that this show is going to be amazing for the rest of its run. That's how huge a deal it was. *****.
Arrow "Sins Of The Father"
Am I the only one who thinks it's goofy that the entire League of Assassin's power structure is simply decided by who wears a piece of jewelry? Remember the Elder Wand in Harry Potter? The curse of that object was that people kept stealing it over and over again as the owners slept and they slit their throats. If leadership of the League truly only depends on ownership of a ring, and not the death of the person wearing it, then the club should have a new President every couple of weeks. Depending on how drunk the ring wearer is.
And how do you get rid of the entire centuries old organization that has ingrained itself into every country and government on Earth? Simply melt the ring! Because nobody else in the organization could POSSIBLY have a problem with that, am I right? No, that's totally cool!
"Bygones!" --Richard Fish.
Smooth sailing for Nyssa from now on, I guess. I am not as dumb as this show thinks I am.
I don't even know why Malcolm's mad. That was the kindest thing Oliver could have done for him. Would he truly have preferred that Oliver killed him? After the stunt Malcolm pulled earlier in the episode, can you blame Oliver not wanting to see Nyssa die because of that shmuck? Jesus. And he tells Darhk about William. Because he sucks.
Is it William in the grave? I would be happy and upset for very different reasons. Happy because I don't give a cr*p about William (sorry, Oliver) and upset because if they DO pick the little kid we barely know, they would have been jerking us around for an entire season for no reason. But if it is William, it explains why Barry is there. He's one of the only people who knew about him.
It's William if the show doesn't play fair with the audience, Thea if it does.
Can you imagine Malcolm's reaction to Thea's death now that the only other thing that mattered to him is gone? While the wuss in me hopes it is William, the sadist in me wants to see what Malcolm would do with THAT.
I love how easily Oliver beat him in that fight. I thought that was so perfect considering how brutal their fights in season 1 were. Malcolm is a non-entity after Deathstroke and the real Ra's Al Ghul. Which makes total sense.
My favorite moment in the episode was when Oliver gently told Felicity she didn't have to be funny for him. I have to say, hearing him say that made me realize once again what an amazing person Oliver actually is. That's an phenomenal thing to say to somebody you love, especially somebody who is used to doing the comforting in the relationship. Part of the reason I never shipped Oliver and Felicity for the first couple of seasons is that I (not without reason) thought she was too good for him. I no longer think that, and think they are perfect together and for each other.
Any episode that has Malcolm Merlyn being humiliated gets a positive grade. But seriously, this whole League of Assassins thing is so stupid. ****.
DC's Legends Of Tomorrow "White Knights"
Holy cow, that Russian chick is hot.
And Wentworth Miller is smooth. Atom never had a chance. I love that he stole her wallet. Why not, right? Other than the fact that it was probably filled with Russian money. Still, Snart seems to steal mostly because it is fun. And I cannot deny that he's having fun here.
Anybody else aware that Wentworth Miller can briefly be seen in Buffy The Vampire Slayer's theme song in season three? He is in the clip of the guy having a fish claw explode out of his hand from season two's "Go Fish". I was always impressed with the guy, even back in the day.
I also love that Snart has a strict moral code, which has always been one of the most fun things about the Flash rogues. He is angry at Rip for being forced to leave Rory and Ray behind.
I love Rory. Because he's simple. Not exactly dumb. But he's easy to please, is great at following orders, and doesn't overthink things. If he's told to do something crazy, he'll do it without question or second thought. That's really funny.
The drama with Firestorm and Kendra and Sara was less cool. I'm usually more the human drama guy in the DCTVU, but none of those four characters are as inherently interesting as Snart, Rory, or Ray. When they start doing character dramas for those guys I'll probably sit up and take notice.
Pretty good. I could tell I enjoyed it because it was over before I realized it. That is a good thing. ****.
Supergirl "For The Girl Who Has Everything"
This was a pretty good episode of Supergirl. But a lousy adaptation of "For The Man Who Has Everything".
First off, while Kara tried to make a half-@$$ed explanation as to why her Earth friends aren't present, I think maybe a version of a couple of them SHOULD have been. Would it truly have messed up Kara to have a boyfriend that was a mix of Jimmy and Win, or a sister that didn't actually exist in reality? I don't buy Kara's Heaven because she isn't surrounded by the people who actually make her happy.
Secondly, "For The Man..." was ABOUT the Black Mercy. Pretty much exclusively. If they were not gonna do a gimmick episode and completely make it about Kara, they shouldn't have bothered. We have the Kryptonian War, the ridiculous (but admittedly amusing) scenario of J'onn cross-dressing as Kara at work, too much else was going on. "For The Man..." was a special story because it focused on Superman's inner thoughts. We didn't really get that for Kara here.
About the best thing I can say for the episode is that it will cause Alan Moore to have a meltdown. And those are always amusing. ***.
Lucifer "The Would-Be Prince Of Darkness"
5 things I learned about Lucifer this week.
1. Lucifer is the actual devil and the son of God. There is no other way to interpret his snide remarks about his father being obsessed with graven images.
2. I think the middle-aged hot mess therapist is kind of sexy. My tastes have changed as I've gotten older, but she is the kind of chick I now dig.
3. God does not control the weather. The Noah thing was an aberration.
4. Never let Lucifer help you. Because then you'll owe him a favor. And that sounds ominous.
5. The procedural worked this week in a way it did not last week. Maybe it was too coincidental, but that's pretty much the only way I'll buy it. Besides, this show explores Heaven and Hell. Who is to say divine will or fate isn't involved?
Better than last week. ***1/2.
iZombie "Physician, Heal Thy Selfie"
This season finale is going to be amazing. My one complaint of the episode is that they should have gone with the "no-brainer" concept, and have Liv go hungry for an episode, and get a little bit feral. But the episode had so much else going on, I won't hold that misstep against it.
That poor Twitter "troll" getting murdered by Max Rager confirms something: this whole zombie thing is MUCH larger than Blaine, and always has been. We had been led to believe he was the Big Bad last year, but he's a cog at best. We probably only thought he was so important because he himself believed he was such hot stuff. But all of the stuff with Max Rager and Mr. Boss, tells me even if he IS the new major player, he's still just a player. He is just as big a part of the game as everyone else. We thought he was Dungeonmaster, but he isn't.
Major has been coming up with more and more creative ways to not have to murder somebody. I keep wondering how long he can keep being that creative for. He needs help and is drowning. He is in way over his head and always has been.
Ravi and Peyton were fun this episode, and it's always great to ship those two. I loved the scene of Liv walking into the room with Peyton and Blaine. That was a bad enough blow for Blaine. Even worse was when he was recognized at the funeral home by Mr. Boss. Blaine's luck has been running out this week and last, and I can't wait to see how he finally falls.
If you had told me like four episodes ago that this show would be this good right now, I probably wouldn't have believed you. But the more the pieces come together, the better it is. I should have learned to trust Rob Thomas. *****.
Be Cool, Scooby Doo! "Gremlin On A Plane"
Finally! Scooby's technical engineering degree pays off!
First time in the series history the villain got off the "Meddling Kids" catchphrase. He stuttered it a little, but it counts.
Daphne was so cute flying the plane. She is definitely my favorite character.
Food is turning against Shaggy and Scooby! The horror!
My question is if Ed will be charged with attempted murder. Chasing people out of airplanes goes a little bit farther than chasing someone out of an amusement park.
Good episode. You can never have too many mottos. ****.
Bunnicula "Spiderlamb"
Too gross for my tastes. *1/2.
Bunnicula "Alligator Tears"
I liked the African-American mice who were trying to get Harold to cry quieter. ***.
Marvel's Agent Carter "The Atomic Job"
Peggy and Jarvis are pretty much the most perfect couple that ever existed. The fact that there is absolutely nothing sexual between them is the most perfect thing about them.
I am now a big fan of Rose. And I ship her and the scientist even if she doesn't dig him. So there.
I love that Jarvis is upset after handling the bomb. He is uncool. And why should he be? He's a freaking butler! If he wasn't upset there would be something wrong with him.
When Whitney threatened her husband's life for the first time, you can finally see in his eyes that he realizes the trap he is in. And there is no guarantee the Council will get him out of it.
Ken Marino is a well-known comic actor, but he's underappreciated in dramatic roles. The only surprise I had about Marino's magnificent performance is that more people don't hire him to do stuff like that. They totally should. He was scary.
Speaking of scary, seeing Hayley Atwell abuse Ray Wise was phenomenal. Just because of Leland Palmer's depraved history with young, beautiful women. Peggy struck back for the abused Laura Palmers everywhere. Peggy refused to take the ring.
I love that Violet is an awesome person. It would be MUCH easier for all involved if she wasn't.
Dr. Wilkes. I still can't get enough of him. Just the low-key and comforting way his actor speaks is riveting to watch. They struck gold with this recurring character. I hope he returns in season three.
I loved this episode. ****1/2.
Star Wars Rebels "The Call"
Space whales! Cute (but slight) filler episode. I had no real objections to it however. ***1/2.
The Muppets "A Tale Of Two Piggies"
I'm going to be blunt: that sucked.
First off, Gonzo and Camilla broke up? What is wrong with this show? It's good they brought her back at the end, but that doesn't stop the idea from being idiotic. Why? Because Gonzo's girlfriend being a chicken is a dumb joke, and the show shouldn't be treating it seriously, or try to wring pathos out of it.
Which brings me to another point: while it is certainly interesting to ponder the idea that the funny animal Muppets face societal expectations to act human, that's no fun to think about. It bums me out. Prejudice in real life is horrible enough. I don't want to have to see the Muppets put up with it. Maybe that's my white privilege speaking. But there also is a case to be made that by extending civil rights analogies to pigs and frogs, it means they aren't taking it seriously. It's bad for two reasons, and neither helps the show.
And finally, the Pig Tail ending was embarrassing. It was the kind of cloying "everybody gets a trophy" ending you'd see on a bad 80's sitcom. I know the show is capable of writing good endings to scenarios like this. They've done it many times before. Which means I'm not going to excuse it when they don't, and take the easy Bob Saget way out.
Any good things? Ian Ziering showing up after the pounding he took shows that he's a good sport, (he's 51? Yikes!) but I also kind of think that this version of The Muppets is too mean to celebrities. The Muppets are not The Simpsons, or South Park, or Family Guy, and I kind of don't think they should turn into them just because they are going for a more "adult" vibe. It's cynical. And part of one of the biggest problems the new show has.
That aggravated me. *.
The Lion Guard "Bunga The Wise"
I hate this episode so much. Partly because Bunga is the worst character and partly because all of the animals are so stupid. I get that this show often tries to tie its moral into African Folk Tales which often involve a smart animal tricking a dumb animal. But as a modern audience member I don't think groups of people should be portrayed as that dumb. And if they are, they shouldn't be portrayed as ultimately benign and well-meaning (see South Park and Springfield's town riots).
Plus, the moral didn't hold up. Rafiki supposedly declared Bunga was the wisest animal. So what Rafiki says goes. But if Rafiki's opinion TRULY matters that much, isn't HE the de facto wisest animal?
I get that this is a pre-school show. I just hate when group stupidity is simply treated as a learning experience. Stupid mobs with dumb opinions lead nowhere good. I'm not on board with any show showing they are harmless and ultimately willing to learn a lesson. The people beaten up at Donald Trump rallies might disagree. *.
The Lion Guard "Never Judge A Leopard By Its Spots"
I loved this episode. Because believe it or not, scavengers like hyenas ARE an essential part of the Circle of Life, and it's a bit alarming that the movie pretends differently. They are necessary. And it is a VERY good message for kids that just because someone is a certain race or color, it doesn't mean they are as scary as a racist's portrayal of them is. Frankly, as scary as the Nazi march in the movie was, it kind of veered into the facelessness of evil, which is a very weird moral for kids, and I don't think they'd be able to see the nuance of it. All they'll take from it is that all hyenas are bad, and equally bad at that. And nothing will change that. While that makes a cool visual for a scary musical number, it's also one of those ideas like The Incredibles Objectivism that is completely inappropriate for kids who can't properly absorb it. Granted, there IS no good message to properly absorb from The Incredibles, but The Lion King is definitely one of the good guys as far as teaching kids about responsibility and good behavior. All hyenas being bad and not part of the Circle of Life was the one objectionable message it had.
Do you know what this means? Even Mufasa is wrong about all hyenas. Maybe it's truly the kids who are all right. *****.
The Lion Guard "The Kupatana Celebration"
Stupid, predictable, and badly written. Which kind of tells me that's what this show is going to be in general, and that the good episodes are going to be the aberration. That kind of bums me out. **.
Mickey Mouse "Couple's Sweaters"
A Disney Animation first: We see Mickey Mouse's butt crack for the first time.
Hey, don't look at me like that. I was the guy who jumped up and down when Jake Sisko referenced using the bathroom in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Explorers" for the first time in that franchise's then 35 year old history. A milestone is a milestone. ***1/2.
Girl Meets World "Girl Meets Commonism"
Let's ignore the fact that the episode oversimplifies communism to please conservative parents. Let's ignore the red-baiting and faux Patriotic pandering. Let's pretend that any kidcom dealing with politics of ANY sort on The Disney Channel is anything but ill-advised. I have one question:
Why isn't Riley Matthews the most hated girl in school?
I like to think that whenever the other kids outside of the group go home they seethe and rage over what kid gloves Mr. Matthews treats his precious daughter with despite her detestable behavior. She loudly, and cartoonishly proclaims (while sitting on the honor board no less) that her friends should get special treatment for cheating on a test. Out loud. For seemingly no other reason than they're her friends. And it turns out she secretly helped them cheat. As if it's adorable instead of the reason people like her in real life aren't spending every minute on the playground being beaten within an inch of their lives. Because Riley does not live a life of commonism. She lives one of privilege. And the writers trying to paint her entitled behavior as leftwing is galling enough. It's that Cory thinks it is too that is appalling. Riley gets away with what she does because her father is her teacher. That's all. She'd be in juvie in real life and causing quite a few child therapists to question every life decision they ever made. Riley is an outright psychopath who gets away with murder because everyone lets her. It's not Maya or Farkle who is the problem this episode (or even this series). It's her. She is an attention starved mess.
Riley isn't a communist. She's one of the Tsars the communists lined up against the wall and shot. Maybe that would not be an appropriate message for The Disney Channel, which just show why they shouldn't have tackled communism in the first place.
I gotta say, Cory was quirky on Boy Meets World, and probably loud-mouthed and obnoxious as far as kids go. But kids are loud-mouthed and obnoxious in real life, so that just made him normal. I do not recognize Riley's behavior outside of a mental hospital. The girl is deranged, and why she isn't a pariah in her school is beyond me.
I choose to believe the kids at Riley's school spend every waking minutes outside of school cursing her and her disgusting enabling father's names, and hoping they get hit by a bus. Because that's kind of what I'm doing now.
Oh, and any show that dresses a 6 or 7 year-old boy (or however old the kid who plays Auggie is) in women's clothes with a wig needs its head examined. There is a reason Disney kidcoms have gotten a REALLY bad rap for screwing up child actors, even more than most of the rest of television does. 0.
The X-Files "Home Again"
"Scully, back in the day is now."
--Fox Mulder, back and better than ever.
Or is he? I gotta say, Mulder was acting pretty off-putting at the crime scenes. He's gotten goofy in his old age. While the bum is giving his crazy monologue, he's fingering his knick-knacks and doesn't seem to understand that strangers don't actually find his gallows humor funny. And it's a bit out of character. Mulder's whole shtick on the old show was that he was laid back and emotionless. If he didn't talk so much, his personality would be considered laconic. Now he's Adrian Monk. I don't necessarily object to that, but it's inconsistent to what has come before.
I am impressed the show bothered to get back Sheila Larken to ostensibly be passed out and then wake up to briefly say one sentence before dying. She got a proper guest star credit out of it, so it must have worked out.
This show invented the TV trope of playing upbeat music while horrific things are happening (although Stanley Kubrick used it in A Clockwork Orange too) and this version of "Downtown" was an excellent example of that.
The opening scene was so great because I had no idea what was going on. The only thing I could tell for sure was that Felix Gaeta was doomed.
Bill Scully has always been a total ahole. He's always hated Mulder too. Well guess what? Mulder is there and he isn't.
I loved this episode. ****1/2.
Power Rangers: Dino Super Charge "Nightmare In Amber Beach"
Shelby's father carrying around samples of ice cream packets in his suit was a stretch. His clothes should be dripping with yogurt.
I did like the scene where Heckyl's duplicity was uncovered though. I thought that was well-done for this franchise. ***1/2.
Sleepy Hollow "Incident At Stone Manor"
I love that Abbie's hair turned curly in the other dimension. Ten months without hair straightener will do that and I love that they gave us that detail.
Abbie and Crane at the end were adorable with each other. It's all about the chess with those two.
Abbie is a stronger person than me. I would have considered the crystal an acceptable loss, and made the deal with Pandora to save Crane and get home. My thought process behind that would be that I'd try to get the stone once I got back. But Abbie is also smarter than me. Even though the show never says otherwise, there is still no guarantee Pandora would have kept her bargain. Abbie kicked her butt at chess, and managed to turn herself (a pawn) back into a second Queen at the end. How's that for an analogy?
Sophie is a series regular now too. Ironically, even though there are more cast members than ever before, the show doesn't seem as crowded as it did last year. As long as it focuses on Crane and Abbie, with supporting roles for Jenny and Joe, the show still works. Joe does not ruin the show the way Hawley did, and he doesn't suck like Katrina wound up sucking. This season is NOT as good as season one. But the show is actually watchable again.
I like that Pandora gave up her power willingly at the end as penance. That was very interesting.
Good episode. I like this season. ****.
Grimm "Star-Crossed"
Wade Williams does NOT look scary with normal length hair which is a very good thing for this episode. He convinced me he was a docile guy who was concerned for his son. I don't blame him attacking Nick. And I appreciate that Nick doesn't either. He says he understands why he did it.
Magically removing someone's eyes, ears, and mouth, is pretty much the most horrific form of torture I can imagine. I HATE Eve for it, even if the guy was a bad guy. There is no one who wouldn't talk after that. I shudder just thinking about it.
I still trust Meisner. Mostly because I still trust Trubel.
Pretty good episode this week. Plus, we got to see the extended opening title with Eve for the first time. ***1/2.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine "The 9-8"
There will be some critics of the police would will consider it rich that this show had Jake turn on his best friend and report him for being dirty. But that's the point. It IS unlikely. That is why the 9-9 is different. Every other precinct is dirty. The show acknowledges the inherent corruption in the system, and shows things the way they SHOULD be. The 9-9 is completely unrealistic. But in a better world it would be. I think we should strive for that.
Amy planning to kill the dog says many things about Amy, none of them good. I'll chalk it up to temporary insanity due to allergies, but frankly the guy with the dog had a better claim to being disabled than she does in that moment.
Holt measures rulers and can tell if there is a flaw in one. That says everything too.
As usual, the best part was the teaser. I loved Gina ending the auction early simply because Scully offering her a date upset her. You rarely see her get flustered, and I love that she was completely honest about creeped out she was in that moment. Gina b.s.-es other people about things she wants, but never about her own feelings.
I liked the end of Jake's old partner being on the outside of Charles and Jake's friendship and trying to horn in as pathetically as Charles did earlier in the episode. It was actually quite funny and disarming, and makes you realize cool people aren't necessarily cool people deep down. A lot of it has to do with the people they hang out with.
Good episode. ****.
The Shannara Chronicles "Breakline"
Seeing the 20 sided dice and the yearbook reminds me what an irresistible conceit a fantasy epic set in the far future is. I would really like to get the full story on what happened the day the world ended. These clue are sure tantalizing.
Glad Alanon isn't dead and I'm glad the Changeling was found out. I didn't expect that prince to be the one to be king, but he's the only one left, so it makes sense.
I'm starting to enjoy this show. ***1/2.
American Dad! "Hayley Smith, Seal Team Six"
Jeff will never leave Hayley. He's got no place to go.
I love that Jeff now knows Roger is an alien. I love it whenever a long-running series changes up the status quo, even a little. It gives the show some forward momentum, which is important to me.
I like when the pervert asks Steve and his friend if they are into soft pork, Barry gets concerned.
Hayley is in charge with how long Jeff sits someplace. Which is how it should be.
I love Joe Handler's bobblehead moment.
Happy Hayley and Klaus are arch-enemies. I'd totally watch Fish and the Jeffman. Fun fact: Jeff's last name is Fisher.
Children are surprisingly sexual. Roger learned that in the University of the Ozarks. Go Possums!
Nature Valley Granola bars make you poop drywall. But I already knew that.
It's wrong to see an adult woman dressed like a child. This isn't The Disney Channel. Loved Hayley's patty-cake game with Roger. Great rhymes there.
Oh, God, the Hambulance and the Perv actually being pigs in Steve's vision was great. I laughed at the idea that the meat had maggots in it. Because after 12 days it would have. Steve is so dumb.
Funny episode. ****.
Colony "Geronimo"
You know, I'd feel sorrier for Luis if that didn't go exactly how I thought it would go. Of COURSE the execution would be public, and of COURSE they'd want to see his face in the noose. The only thing that surprised me is that Luis is surprised. Did he learn nothing from those radio broadcasts he did?
I think it is amazing the chick Will works with told him her theory about Katie this early on. Because she's RIGHT, and it feels weird to me to hear that subject broached with Will this early on. I expected them to save that for later (perhaps the season 1 finale).
I think we take things like markers and coffee for granted. They are both good things.
I am a little bit disappointed we didn't actually learn who Geronimo is, or even if he exists. I kind of felt I was owed that a little. ***.
You, Me, And The Apocalypse "Still Stuff Worth Fighting For"
This show is my new best friend.
Since we know the scientists are going to fail, that means that Father Jude and Celine have pretty much the most important jobs on Earth. I liked Jude's observation that the vow of chastity is a lot easier for him because he got it out of his system as a young man, and doesn't have the hang-ups about it many virgin priests do. I never thought of it like that, but I bet it's true.
Seeing a birth and a guy with a terminal illness in the scenario gives new meanings to both of those things. The birth is a tragedy, because even when I rooting with Jamie for it to breathe, I know it will be dead in a month. This show is really thought-provoking and profound.
Nick Offerman coming out to Rhonda was extremely moving to me. I love that they didn't actually play it as a joke, despite the scene being played by two comic actors. It worked.
This is a lot like The Last Man On Earth except I always feel better after watching it. And that is a very good thing. *****.
The Blacklist "Lady Ambrosia"
That was pretty much one of the worst Blacklisters ever. Red telling the son Theo that he was entitled to joy and beauty and love just goes to show that Red is a decent human being. And bringing Anya back to her mother is another one of the miraculous carrots Red always seems to be able to offer.
I think Liz is very lucky she has the protection she does at her house, as annoying and inconvenient as it is.
Tom barely standing, bloody in the bathtub, and holding a knife up to that kid pretty much told me he's going to be the worst father ever.
When Ressler thoughtlessly says he'd never give his kid up for adoption, I wanted to slap him. I hate that guy and I love that Navabi does too now.
Glenn has pretty much stopped being funny and turned into all creep. It used to be amusing that he seemed to be the only person who kept Red on his toes, but the whole "willing" thing tells me the guy is secretly a monster and Red has always had a low tolerance for those kinds of people. The fact that he has to work with him is probably as distasteful to Red as it seems to be for Glenn.
Decent episode, but the show has done better. ***.
Blindspot "Pilot"
This is one of those shows that could potentially get better as it goes along. But as of now? The first episode is average.
It seems to be under the impression that the concept is more irresistible than it is. But I don't really think of it as high concept. Those kinds of show are groundbreaking in their uniqueness. The show cribs its various scenarios from it's high concept from other sources. That technically makes it low concept.
A naked woman in plastic appearing out of nowhere? Laura Palmer in Twin Peaks. A mysterious full body tattoo that is part treasure map? Michael Scofield in Prison Break. Amnesiac lead character? John Doe in John Doe. Unknown connection to a main character that they've never met before? Liz Keene and Red Reddington from The Blacklist. The episode expects me to find the scene where her hand sticks out of the bag and she reveals herself naked and covered in tattoos as iconic and a huge deal, and I'm sort of like "Been there, done that. Yawn."
Also, why doesn't Jamie Alexander get top billing on their show? For the hours she must spend in make-up, you'd figure that would be the least they could do.
I'm not impressed with the first episode. But I'm also not going to stop watching either. **1/2.
Blindspot "A Stray Howl"
Okay, this is obviously one of those shows that they retooled from the Pilot. Probably network mandates, because the first episode was so underwhelming. Some things are good, some things are not so good. They expanded Weller's backstory, including giving him a missing childhood friend (who I'm betting is not actually Jane) and revealing he lives with his sister and her kid. The network probably felt the lead should have a nice home life. They also turned one of the agents into the series contrarian, who seems mistrustful of Jane for no real reason. I'm not saying the reasons he states don't sound legit. But any one of the characters could state those opinions, and it seems like he was the random luck of the draw to be made the group ahole. The fact that Ashley Johnson's non-descript agent from the Pilot has suddenly turned almost as lovable as Felicity Smoak tells me that this particular show was very much a work in progress when NBC bought the Pilot. Shows often evolve and change over the course of the first season. I don't usually see so many differences between a Pilot and the second episode unless there is something wrong with the Pilot. This does not fill me with confidence.
On the plus side, revealing that Jane once murdered a nun was a juicy conceit, made juicier that they didn't really buy it back at the end. Sure, we showed there was a REASON for it, but as for as I'm concerned, retrieved a data drive is not a GOOD reason to murder a nun. But maybe I just have impossibly high standards.
Better than the Pilot, but the fact that it is is very interesting. Almost no second episodes of good shows are better than the first. I cannot think of a single example. There are a couple of great shows whose seconds episodes are EQUALLY good, but if the second episode outdoes the pilot, especially if the show is supposedly high concept, there might be stuff going on behind the scenes. And that's the end of that chapter. Uh oh, Spaghettios. ***.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Return To NYC!
Soccer Mom edition for episodes 8-14 of Season three.
Good batch of episodes on the disc. Bebop and Rocksteady make their debuts, and even if I think the episode where they were mutated (Serpent Hunt) mostly got things wrong, the rest of the episodes got things mostly right. "Vision Quest" was remarkable, "Return To New York" was everything I ever wanted (including a revamped main title), the second part of the two parter "Battle For New York" rocked, and "Casey Jones Vs. The Underworld was probably the best episode of the season. Worst episodes are the aforementioned Serpent Hunt, which made the mutations TOO gruesome, and the one with the stupid Mikey beginning (Battle For New York, Part 1). Disc overall: ****.
Vision Quest:
Beyond cool. The episode starts off wrong with Leo embarrassingly getting his butt kicked by a deer, but we soon learn there are larger reasons behind this particular humiliation. I love that we got the Splinter Fire Spirit from the original movie. I have to say Splinter's advice to each of the Turtles was beyond wise, and I realize his presence was sorely missed for these last seven episodes. This is also a problem for the Turtles In Space arc in season four. I like that they tried to pair up the Turtles with a villain they had a personal connection with. Leo got Shredder, Raph Fishface, and Mikey Rah-Zar. That leaves Donnie the odd man out with Tiger Claw, of which he most certainly does NOT share a personal connection, but that's pretty much true of Donnie and ALL of Shredder's goons. They would have been better off having him face a Kraang. The fight between Shredder and Leo was sick too. I like that is turns out Leo's knee pains have become psychosomatic, which means he can get better. I especially loved Leo pulling rank over Donnie whining about Casey and April. Let it go, dude. I also loved Mikey's "I was wrong about the camo" moment. This was such an awesome episode. ****1/2.
Return To New York:
First things first: love the new main title. Each of the Turtles gets showcased in their Mystic costumes, and seeing new footage of Master Splinter training April makes me giddy. And look! That's Bebop and Rocksteady and Mondo Gecko and Leatherhead and the Party Wagon! Squee! This new main title told me the second half of the season would be great. As angry as Raph was at Casey for crashing through the gates, I have to agree with Casey that it was the only move he could make. And it somehow got them in the city which means Raph should save his complaints. And Buzzkill is now officially a thing. Those Mutant Shredders were kind of goofy, but that's the comic too so I can't really beat the show up too badly for it. Dr. Cluckensworth sickens Raphael. As he should. Do you know what struck me about Stockman's cruelty to Splinter this episode? It was unprovoked. As far as I know, he and Splinter never crossed paths before, so there is no reason for him to be as horrible to him as he is. He simply chooses to be. These are the kinds of people Shredder surrounds himself with. Remember that. I also love how when Splinter gets his memory back, he doesn't say a word, but April knows it worked anyways. Very effective, especially for an animated show. Great episode. ****1/2.
Serpent Hunt:
I gotta say, I was really disappointed by the last three minutes of that. The show continues to make poor storytelling decisions. Whoever's idea it was to make the mutations of Zeck and Steranko be horrific should be fired. Ninja Turtles, the franchise, is part comedy. The mutations are the funny bit. The show basically doesn't understand that it is ruining one of the franchise's biggest selling points. It's SUPPOSED to be funny, and we're supposed to WANT to see it. By making Zeck and Steranko horrible victims begging for mercy, the show stopped giving me permission to have fun with the idea. This show doesn't make as many mistakes with the franchise as the Michael Bay abortion does, but it ruins perfectly good parts of the canon for no good reason, which was exactly everybody's complaint about the Megan Fox movie. This show is not immune to wrecking important Turtle moments. But I will concede the rest of the episode was dynamite. You knew things were bleak for Steranko and Zeck when they cackle that Oroku Saki would HAVE to make a deal with them. Another reason I outright feel sorry for them. They are way in over their heads and that is unfair on a large level. Still, I don't feel TOO badly. Their fate was sealed upon Saki witnessing them clumsily leading Karai around with the electric torture collar and then clutching his fist. I also like that Steranko has been eating the spy roaches. There was one dumb joke I took note of: Mikey mistaking the shed snake skin for potato chips and eating them over and over and over again. I kind of feel like Donnie could have spoken up to Mikey a LOT earlier than he did. It was funny, but now I think Donnie's an ahole. I can't tell whether to be outraged or amused that Mikey calls his brothers "My ninjas" in eubonics. The "reject from 1987" line was great because that was the year Bebop and Rocksteady actually debuted on television. I also love that the Turtles gave as good as they got with the Shredder for the first time. They didn't beat him, but it was the first time he didn't effortlessly punk them, and they were able to smack him down long enough to give themselves time to escape. That shows good progress on both the show's and the Turtles' part. ***1/2.
The Pig And The Rhino:
"Bebop is a stupid name!" I would like to point something out: for their first full appearance, Bebop and Rocksteady actually succeeded in their mission. That is unprecedented in Turtle lore. I have to agree with Zeck that Mikey's naming skills were quite lazy this episode, and that because he put no effort into it he's stuck with the name of Bebop. As if being a warthog wasn't bad enough. Don't feel too bad for Zeck though. When he says "I would NEVER hit a lady. But I'd trip her," that said exactly what kind of scumbag he was. I thought it was really moving that Karai let them know where she was to say goodbye. Which makes me doubly angry Splinter isn't actually in the episode! He should have been there for that moment. I would also like to say that Shredder is stupid for offering to let Zeck and Steranko work for him. He just screwed them over in a way that destroyed their lives. Does he REALLY want two people with that big a motive for revenge on his payroll? Bradford and Xever's mutations weren't Shredder's fault, so hiring them was fine, and Shredder knows Stockman well enough to know he's not a threat. But Shredder's punishment of mutating them only works if he cuts them loose and never sees them again. If Bebop and Rocksteady were even slightly smarter, they'd be planning revenge. Immediately. Shredder is not immortal. And he has to sleep sometime. The fact that he lucks out in getting guys this dumb working for him does not change the fact that it is an outright bad idea. One good thing Shredder did: telling his men to leave Steranko and Zeck to him and let him kick their @$$es on his own. That let them know who was boss. And I think April pointed out why Zeck's invisibility power is useless: the dude never shuts up. Goes against the entire notion of stealth, but Bebop is a moron. ****.
Battle For New York: Part. 1:
There is much to enjoy in the first part of the mid-season capper (The Turtle Blimp! The Mighty Mutanimals!) but truthfully? Part 1 blows. Big time. Let's talk about the good things before we get into the fiasco. First off, it was genius to put Leatherhead in the Mutanimals if they were going to make Slash leader. Because that means the Turtles would be willing to hear him out. And I totally buy his "It was the mutagen" excuse. In fact, it makes sense. I also love that Kraang Subprime is sick and tired of the Kraang abusing the English language. It's interesting because Kraang Prime herself sucks at English too. The fact that Bishop also speaks perfectly fine in the season finale hints to me that this was the show's way to subtly hint that Kraang Subprime used to be an Utrom. I never put that together before now, but that would make sense. I also loved the moment of Slash being concerned with Pigeon Pete, which makes you realize Leo's concerns about Slash using him as bait were groundless. I also love the haunted expression on April's face as she says "I can see them in my dreams." It was like something out of a horror comic. Let's talk about the bad, because the bad is outright Godawful. That opening scene right there made Michelangelo one of the most detestable characters on television. Didn't they JUST show how horrific the mutations are? They can't have it both ways. They can't expect me to forgive Mikey fooling around in Donnie's lab for no other reason than he thinks it would funny, after we've seen all of the lives that stuff has destroyed. Making mutagen serious business was a bad idea in the first place, but that also means that the characters have to take it seriously too. What especially galls me is that Mikey is not punished for this foolishness. I also have to call b.s. on Mikey having a hard time remembering the ingredients if they were going to say he has a photographic memory later in the season. I could excuse that in season one or two. Not the season where it is actually an issue. When Splinter says Kurtzman is "fine" I thought that word does not mean what he thinks it does. Also, can I just point out that they picked the most Z-lister team possible for the Mutanimals outside of Leatherhead and Slash? Monkey Brains? Pigeon Pete? They should have introduced Mondo Gecko earlier and had him be a member. And they should have found a stupid, unrealistic way to include Napoleon Bonafrog as well. As if now, with only two legit members, the show is not doing the Mighty Mutanimals concept justice. Part 2 is MUCH better than Part 1. But that doesn't make Part 1 suck any less. *1/2.
Battle For New York: Part 2:
Okay, remember the photographic memory thing? It's good because it explains why Mikey is such an expert in Dimension X. He follows Donnie to the letter by doing the exact opposite. Mikey being the Master of Dimension X never fit well. But if he has a photographic memory, it does. An army of Irma Kraangdroids doesn't suck. I love Raph saying "Raise the misen masts, lads!". Mikey flying around with the laser blasters was sweet too. The one false note of the episode was Leatherhead trying to comfort Slash about his leadership skills. The reason it doesn't work is because Slash hasn't done anything for the viewer to earn their sympathies. Yes, I want to give him a second chance. But I'm not all the way there in believing he deserves it yet. Putting the cart before the horse in that moment. One last complaint: Mikey calls the mutant humans "servants". That's b.s.. They're slaves and if the show is afraid to use that word, it shouldn't explore the premise. Being a slave is wrong. There is nothing wrong with being a servant. Great conclusion otherwise. *****1/2. Two-Part Average: ***.
Casey Jones Vs. The Underworld:
I freaking love this episode. I love that it has so much going on and so many layers. First things first: Hun: What do I think? As awesome as this version is (wasn't him licking the hockey puck a hoot?) that isn't Hun. I kind of feel like they did a Jet Li tribute, and just put Hun's name on it. This version of Hun is actually better than the original. But this is also the first character the show has tackled that was exclusive to the 2003 series. I kind of feel like the show had more of an obligation to stick to the essentials here. Hun is not a hotshot. He's massive and loyal. You know how this version of Shredder is deformed? 2003's is not because Hun took a rat for him. That's Hun's whole shtick. Undying loyalty to Shredder at the expense of his own well-being. Just the fact that this guy is so self-sacrificing is pretty much the sole reason he was the only villain on the 2003 series Shredder never punished. He was that show's version of Tiger Claw. Another complaint: as toyetic as it was seeing Shredder ride around town on a motorcycle, it rang completely false for a couple of reasons. Oroku Saki is stinking rich. He doesn't ride himself around like a biker, that's what limos are for. Also, WAY too conspicuous. The Foot lives in the shadows. It's about as misbegotten an idea as the Torchwood SUV. And Mikey eating Cheesyballs was terrible. There is a point where "coincidence" passes into "bad writing" and Turtles crossed that line in the moment. But the rest of the episode was fantastic. I totally felt Casey's pain this episode. And do you know what? It WAS unfair for the Turtles to bench him on the alien invasion. Splinter and April definitely needed to stay put to save Kurtzman, but I cannot imagine that Casey had enough medical training to truly be helpful. Or any at all for that matter. I was almost offended on his behalf when the Turtles laughed at him losing to the Purple Dragons. Casey and the Turtles' relationship has always been a bit contentious in all incarnations, but that was outright mean. I think the Turtles are WAY meaner to Casey in this incarnation than they ever have been. I like when he tells the Turtles that while they've been sitting around he's been saving the city. Heroes don't get downtime. But just the fact that he electrocuted Shredder here means that he can hold his head up high. No matter what happens to him in the future, he'll always have that. The moment where Shredder accosts him at the restaurant was tense. Does Shredder recognized him? Why does this kid seem so familiar? And will Shredder put it together in time? Fabulous moment. It was SO well timed and animated. It was perfection. And I love the second Casey escapes he's thrilled. As disastrous as his first meeting with Shredder went, he couldn't be happier he was almost killed. "That was so cool!" And I love the minute Casey gets ready to battle the Shredder he laughs. He is insane and I love that about him. When Shredder says to Casey "I have no time for idle threats!" I thought, where do YOU have to be that is so danged important? I'm sure Shredder thought it made him sound bad@$$ and significant' but I don't really think being a supervillain is something that puts you on a clock. Most bad guys don't feel the need to keep the meter running. They enjoy kicking good guy butt. Why doesn't Shredder? Oh well. I also loved hearing about all of the different gang territories and the rankings of the mob bosses. Steranko gives Shredder the Russian mob, Hun, the Asians, and Xever, the South Americans. Maybe Shredder WAS right to conscript Rocksteady after all. I also found it interesting when Bradford pointed out that he was field commander when Tiger Claw isn't present. Pulling rank on Fishface! Not cool, dude! The scene of the fat mob Don slurping the spaghetti and meatballs reminded me unpleasantly of a similarly disgusting scene from a Ralph Bakshi cartoon. I don't remember if it was Heavy Traffic or Coonskin, and as I hated both of those movies, I'm never going to watch them again to check. But that moment is still repulsive. I loved the moment where Shredder says "Us?" after the gross Don discusses them as businessmen like "Us". There is true disdain in Kevin Michael Richardson's voice, and you can tell this guy is so beneath Shredder Saki is actually a bit insulted. That was awesome. Also awesome was "What was so important in that case that you risked your life?" "I dunno. Let's find out!" This show rarely has good dialogue, but it was killing it this episode. Shredder saying that success should be rewarded, as failure should be punished makes him an interesting boss. He's famous for his sticks, but is totally willing to use carrots if his guys deserve it. Usually his gang isn't as competent as Hun or Tiger Claw, so that's probably why we see him being more of an ahole than he'd be if his employees didn't suck. This wound up being one of my favorite episodes of the season. *****.
The Mutation Of A Scene:
More storyboards / animatics. Overall: ***1/2.
Vision Quest: Interesting scene to choose for an animatic. ***.
Return To New York: Mikey is a jinx. I love those breath mint loaded soda pop cannons. They sting! They sting! ****.
Serpent Hunt: I always like seeing the evolution of Zeck's glowing effects in an animatic. ****.
The Pig And The Rhino: Every time I see Rocksteady fall from the sky and land on Bebop I wince. That had some serious force behind it. ***1/2.
Battle For New York: Part 1: The Mighty Mutanimals' first scene. I am amused at how exasperated Leo was at that couple whose lives he saved's ingratitude. "No, no, it's not like I just saved your lives or anything." You try and help somebody. ***1/2.
Battle For New York: Part 2: The "servants" thing still bugs me. I want to know what possessed Andrea Romano to cast Cassandra Peterson as Ms. Campbell. The last thing I do when I see Elvira on TV is listen to her voice, if you get my drift. Romano is always able to coax great performances out of people you didn't suspect had it in them. I love that Leatherhead actually eats a Kraang brain. That's about right. ****.
Casey Jones Vs. The Underworld: Good to see the storyboard for the puck lick (sick!) and am amused to see upon rewatching it a couple of times that Hun puts the whole thing in his mouth afterwards. Would have liked to have gotten the animatic for it too but my DVD player doesn't love me that much. ****1/2.
DVD Menu: Animated again, which is nice because the last two releases weren't. ****.
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